We break down Prop 32 and help you find resources to get informed before election day tomorrow. Plus, a summary of the California ballot and two LA-area measures in haiku form, we factcheck the multitude of political radio ads currently on the airwaves, we look into the historical accuracy of 'Homeland' and much more.
FPPC reveals Arizona nonprofit donors behind $11 million against Prop 30
This morning, the state's elections watchdog Fair Political Practices Commission released the names of the secret $11 million donated to influence Propositions 30 and 32.
RELATED: Read the full story from Julie Small
From the FPPC:
Americans for Responsible Leadership, the Arizona non-profitcorporation that made an anonymous $11 million donation to a California campaigncommittee, today sent a letter declaring itself to be the intermediary and not the truesource of the contribution. It identified the true source of the contribution as Americans for Job Security, through a second intermediary, The Center to Protect Patient Rights. Under California law, the failure to disclose this initially was campaign money laundering. At $11 million, this is the largest contribution ever disclosed as campaign money laundering in California history."
The disclosure comes after a weekend of intense legal wrangling that went all the way to the state Supreme Court.
KPCC's Julie Small joins the show.
Props To You: Prop 32 bars the use of employee funds for political means
For more details now on Prop 32 and its chances of passing, we're joined by KPCC's Kevin Ferguson
The measure bans unions and corporations from automatically taking money out of their employees paychecks and spending it on political campaigns. It would also forbid those groups from donating to state and local candidates. Finally, government contractors will be prevented from giving money to the politicians who helped them secure their jobs
If Proposition 32 passes, it'd be a change, but nothing seismic. Even though unions and corporations wouldn't be able to donate to candidates, they could still support state and local campaigns through Super PACs, and Prop 32 doesn't restrict the powers of other wealthy interests like trade associations, individual donors, chambers of commerce.
Prop 32 only limits contributions to state and local elections, so federal campaigns are outside the Prop's jurisdiction.
Charles Munger Jr. is the biggest donor — he's a physicist and son of Charlie Munger, the businessman and vice chair of Berkshire Hathaway. He's given over $36 million of his own money to support Prop 32, and if his name sounds familiar, that's because he's the brother of Molly Munger, the education activist behind proposition 38. The second biggest donor to the campaign is a group called Americans for Responsible Leadership, they're the Arizona nonprofit that until now was able to keep their fundraisers secret.
It's also gotten endorsements from The California Republican party, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association, former LA Mayor Richard Riordan.
Democrats are against it along with progressive groups like Common Cause, and unions like the California Teacher's Association. Not good.
Last Friday a Field Poll has Proposition 32 trailing by 16 points. The Public Policy Institute of California has it behind by just seven. It looks like the prop has an uphill battle.
Fact checking the multitude of campaign radio ads running this election cycle
Campaign radio ads are expected to break records this election season.
Media analysts believe radio can be more influential late in the game than TV ads, because they fly largely under the radar of fact-checkers, they can be more easily tailored to specific demographics, and they are often the testing ground for edgier issues.
Take Two fact checks the latest radio spots with Politico reporter Josh Gerstein
Making haiku poetry out of the California ballot
If the election has you feeling a bit overwhelmed, we totally get it. Not only do you have to choose candidates, here in California we have 11 propositions on the ballot.
So to help you brush up on those props, we came up with a succinct and and relaxing review. Get ready for some Proposition Haikus.
We asked our staff to write poems in the traditional 5-7-5 syllable style explaining what would happen if each prop passed.
Prop 30:
Tax on rich and sales
increases by just a bit.
Funding for our schools.
Prop 31:
Two year budgets, with
New governor powers, more.
Too long to haiku
Prop 32:
Paychecks are hands off
For unions and companies
giving to campaigns
Prop 33:
Car insurers give
discounts to old friends - switching?
Still keep that discount
Prop 34:
Man commits murder
Before - state could sentence death
Now - that's not allowed
Prop 35:
Human traffickers
Their prison terms would increase
Many fines they will pay
Prop 36:
Three strikes modified
Life sentence only when crime
Is quite serious
Prop 37:
G-M-O label
Right to know but exemptions
Health risks are unclear
Prop 38:
Income tax increase
will raise billions each year for
Californian schools
Prop 39:
Companies that earn
Will have to pay tax despite
Never being here
Prop 40:
Redrawing districts
will be job for real people
not politicians
Measure B:
Porn stars must practice,
safe sex with condoms, by law.
Or pay fines if not.
Measure J:
Extends transpo tax
and speeds up projects, like the
Subway to the sea.
Campaign attorneys watch swing states carefully before election day
President Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney are making their final appeals to voters today. Obama will make stops in Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio while Romney will zero in on voters in Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire and Virginia.
Attorneys working on behalf of both campaigns are also hard at work as they prepare to contest what could be extremely close results in several swing states
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University's law school monitors voting across the country. Myrna Perez, their senior counsel joins the show.
The thrill of victory and agony of defeat in politics
Although most think that these kinds of emotions are only found in sports, its also evident in politics, too.
Take Two explains how political junkies can get the same emotional highs and lows as sports fans.
Is the CIA drama 'Homeland' as realistic as critics claim?
Last night, fans of the hit Showtime drama "Homeland" tuned in for the latest chapter in the ongoing saga about a CIA officer named Carrie, played by Claire Danes, and a POW turned terrorist played by Damian Lewis.
The show is in its second season and won an Emmy this year for Best Drama. Critics have raved about the psychologically complex characters and the show's realistic portrayal of the war on terror.
But is it actually realistic? We decided to turn our fact checking away from the campaign for a moment and truth squad the show.
Here to help us is Washington Post political reporter, Ned Martel.
Crunch Time: Getting informed before casting your California ballot
There are eleven propositions on the California ballot for voters to weigh in, including everything from abolishing the death penalty to the labeling of genetically modified food.
RELATED: Customize your ballot with KPCC's voter guide
If you haven't figured out how you're going to vote yet, don't panic. You are definitely not alone.
Here to give us some tips on how to get informed quickly is Kim Alexander, director of the California Voter Foundation.
Sites Mentioned:
The California Voter Foundation
Courage Campaign’s Progressive Voter Guide -
Patt Morrison examines progressives' current views on Obama
No suspense about how California will vote in the presidential race. The latest field poll shows President Obama leading Governor Mitt Romney by 15 percentage points.
But even in a deep blue state like California, there are plenty of progressive Democrats who are disappointed that President Obama didn't do more to address some issues they care about.
KPCC's Patt Morrison is here with more on that.
Read more at the Patt Morrison blog
How voters in swing-state Colorado are seeing the election
Colorado is an important swing state with rapidly changing demographics.
Reporter Rajesh Merchandani has the story of voters in Denver and Colorado Springs, and talks to us about what he's found about voters there.
District attorney race features two very different candidates
The race for District Attorney hasn't received much attention this election season, even though the office wields enormous power over the Los Angeles County criminal justice system.
KPCC's Frank Stoltze says the contest features a woman who would be the first female and first African American DA, against a star prosecutor who's handled some of L.A.'s highest profile cases.
SoCal utility workers assist in Hurricane Sandy recovery effort
It's been a week since Hurricane Sandy ravaged the east coast, and more than 100 people were killed and millions of homes lost power. As temperatures dip into the thirties, nearly a million New Jersey residents still have no electricity.
Utility workers from around the country have been flown in to assist in the recovery effort, including Southern California Edison which sent some workers to the town of Ramsey in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Fanpire: Why some women can't get enough of 'Twilight'
The fifth installment of the "Twilight" film franchise, "Breaking Dawn: Part 2," comes out later this month.
The previous "Twilight" film made more than $300 million, a testament to the legion of incredibly loyal fans of the franchise around the world.
Skeptics say these stories about a broody vampire, an often shirtless werewolf and the constantly sullen waif caught between them are little more than pointless fluff, but writer Tanya Erzen believes the Twilight phenomenon reveals fascinating insights about our beliefs about modern life and love.
The Bella Cullen Project is a band made up of fans. This is one of their songs, Safety First
Erzen joins the show to talk about her new book, "Fanpire: The Twilight Saga and the Women Who Love it."
Excerpt from Fanpire: The Twilight Saga and the Women Who Love It